Pallet lift

ABSTRACT

A pallet lift includes a base and a plurality of wheels supporting the base. A pair of contact surfaces are proximate a distal end of the base. A handle projects upward proximate a proximal end of the base. A rear support surface support is on the base between the contact surfaces and the handle. The base may include a pair of spaced apart rails capable of receiving columns of a pallet therebetween. In one embodiment, the base includes a pair of four-bar linkages and the handle is a lift handle configured to selectively collapse and extend the four-bar linkages to raise and lower a pallet.

BACKGROUND

Pallets are often used to ship and store goods, such as goodsdistributed to a grocery store. Pallets typically have a deck supportedabove the floor by a plurality of columns. The pallet may be nestable,in that the columns of one pallet may be received into openings throughthe deck.

One type of pallet is half the width of standard pallets. As a result,the pallet can be maneuvered out of trucks and into stores more easily.Powered lifts (such as electric or hydraulic) may be used but they arelarge and bulky.

SUMMARY

A pallet lift includes a base and a plurality of wheels supporting thebase. A pair of contact surfaces are proximate a distal end of the base.A handle projects upward proximate a proximal end of the base. A rearsupport surface support is on the base between the contact surfaces andthe handle.

The base may include a pair of spaced apart rails capable of receivingcolumns of a pallet therebetween. In one embodiment, the base includes apair of four-bar linkages and the handle is a lift handle configured toselectively collapse and extend the four-bar linkages to raise and lowera pallet.

In another embodiment, the proximal end of the pallet lift may be liftedto lower the contact surfaces under the pallet. By lowering the proximalend of the pallet, the contact surfaces rise under the deck of thepallet and lift the pallet off the floor. The rear support surface maybe provided by a locking device having an upper finger and a lowerfinger pivotable relative to the base to lock the proximal end of thepallet to the pallet lift.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet lift according to a firstembodiment.

FIG. 2 shows the pallet of FIG. 1 engaging a pallet.

FIG. 3 show a first step in lifting the pallet of FIG. 2 with the palletlift of FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4 shows a second step in lifting the pallet with the pallet lift.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the locking device in an unlocked positionadjacent the pallet.

FIG. 6 shows the locking device of FIG. 5 in a locked position engagedwith the pallet.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the lift holding the pallet.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lift with the handle in an uprightposition.

FIG. 9 shows the lift of FIG. 8 with the handle in the collapsedposition.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the latch for the handle, with thelatch in the latched position.

FIG. 11 is an end view of the pallet lift of FIG. 10 .

FIG. 12 shows the latch of FIG. 10 in the unlatched position.

FIG. 13 is an end view of the pallet lift of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 14 shows the pallet lift of FIG. 12 with the handle in thecollapsed position.

FIG. 15 is an end view of the pallet lift of FIG. 14 .

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a pallet lift according to a secondembodiment.

FIG. 17 is a side view of the pallet lift of FIG. 16 .

FIG. 18 shows the pallet lift of FIG. 17 with a pallet supported thereonabove the floor.

FIG. 19 shows the pallet lift of FIG. 16 with the handle in the loweredposition.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the pallet lift of FIG. 19 .

FIG. 21 shows the pallet lift of FIG. 20 having been positioned toengage a pallet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A pallet lift 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention isshown in FIG. 1 . The pallet lift 10 includes a base 12 having siderails 14, which may be generally parallel to one another andsubstantially horizontal. The base 12 further includes a rear structure16 connecting rear ends of the side rails 14. A handle 18 extends upwardfrom the rear structure 16. Side panels 20 extend upward proximate rearends of the side rails 14 and are selectively connected to the handle18.

The handle 18 includes locking structure including a pair of sleeves 22slidably holding a pair of latch pins 23 biased away from one another bya spring 24. The latch pins 23 are selectively connected to apertures 26in the side panels 20 to retain the handle 18 in an upright position, asshown. Other mechanisms for selectively latching the handle 18 in anupright position could also be used.

A plurality of wheels 30 or casters 30 support the base 12, includingwheels 30 at a forward end of the side rails 14. A vertical support 32extends upward proximate each forward end of the rails 14. A J-shapedcradle 34 is pivotably secured to each of the vertical supports 32 andprovides a contact surface for lifting a pallet. The cradles 34 arepositioned inward of the rails 14

On at least one of the side rails 14, spaced away from the front end ofthe rail 14, is mounted an upper locking device 36. The upper lockingdevice 36 includes a collar 38 rotatably fixed to the side rail 14, butlockable in place by a thumbscrew 40. An arm 42 extends upward from thecollar 38 and has an upper finger 44 extending laterally therefrom,generally toward the interior of the pallet lift 10. A lower finger 46,spaced below the upper finger 44 and parallel to the upper finger 44,may also extend laterally from the arm 42. The lower finger 46 providesa rear support surface for a pallet, although it will be primarilysupported on the cradles 34.

FIG. 2 shows the pallet lift 10 partially engaging a pallet 100. Thepallet 100 is preferably a molded plastic pallet 100 including an upperdeck 112 for supporting goods thereon. The pallet 100 may be ahalf-pallet, such as a 48×20 pallet, which is substantially longer thanit is wide. Drop rails 114 extend downward from each long side edge ofthe upper deck 112. Columns 118 extend downward from the upper deck 112to support the upper deck 112 at a distance above the floor. The columns118 are spaced away from the peripheral edge of the deck 112. Theexample pallet 100 is a nestable pallet 100 in that a plurality of largeopenings are formed in the upper deck 112 to receive the columns 118 ofan identical pallet stacked thereon when the pallets 100 are not loadedwith goods.

The upper deck 112 includes a plurality of notches 122 formed in upperside edges, and near, but spaced away from each end edge. The notches122 are spaced such that they can be aligned with the upper lockingdevice 36 of the pallet lift 10.

In use, referring to FIG. 3 , the pallet lift 10 is tilted forward(approximately 45 degrees), with the rear of the pallet lift 10significantly off the floor. The front wheels 30 are rolled toapproximately the center (e.g. just past the center). The cradles 34engage lower edges of the drop rails 114 of the pallet 100.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the user then pulls downward on the handle 18 andthe rear end of the pallet lift 10. This causes the cradles 34 andwheels 30 to lift the center of the pallet 100 off the floor.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the upper locking device 36 is rotatedinward, thereby locking the near end of the pallet 100 to the palletlift 10. In particular, the upper finger 44 is received in the notch 122and the lower finger 46 is received below the upper deck 112. The collar38 is then locked in place with the thumbscrew 40 to the rail 14.

In this position, the weight of the pallet 100 and any goods stackedthereon bears substantially on the cradles 34 and the upper lockingdevice 36 keeps the pallet 100 balanced on the cradles 34. The pallet100 can then be moved by rolling the pallet lift 10 by the user. Torelease the pallet 100, the upper locking device 36 is released androtated outward, and then the rear end of the pallet lift 10 is lifted(FIG. 3 ). The pallet lift 10 can then be removed from the pallet 100.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the pallet lift 10 holding the pallet 100. TheJ-shaped cradles 34 capture the drop rails 114 on each side of thepallet 100 in order to hold the pallet 100 securely. The contactsurfaces of the cradles 34 are positioned inward of the rails 14 so thatthe rails 14 are positioned outward of the deck 114 of the pallet 100,so that they can be tilted (e.g. FIG. 3 ).

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the handle 18 can be folded down onto therails 14 when not in use for easy storage after releasing the latch pins23. The pins 23 may also be secured to the side panels 20 in theretracted position of FIG. 9 . As shown, the handle 18 pivots with therear structure 16 relative to the side panels 20 and side rails 14.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show the latch pins 23, spring 24 and latch flanges 25in the latched position.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show the latch pins 23, spring 24 and latch flanges 25in the unlatched position, with the latch flanges 25 squeezed toward oneanother, thereby drawing the latch pins 23 inward and away from the sidepanels 20. The flanges 25 are secured to the latch pins 23.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the handle 18 in the retracted position. FIG. 14 issimilar to the view of FIGS. 10 and 12 , but with the handle 18 foldeddownward. Similarly, FIG. 15 is similar to the view of FIGS. 11 and 13 ,but with the handle 18 folded downward. Note that the rear structure 16pivots with the handle 18, such that the wheels 30 then projectrearwardly from rear structure 16 of the pallet lift 10, but still alsoprotrude downward to support the pallet lift 10 off the floor.

FIG. 16-21 show a pallet lift 210 according to a second embodiment.Referring to FIG. 16 , the pallet lift 210 has much of the samestructure as the first embodiment. The pallet lift 210 also includes adedicated lift mechanism for lifting the pallet slightly off the groundso that it can be moved. The cradles 234 are pivotably supported on liftrails 250. The lift rails 250 are pivotably connected to verticalsupports 232, which in turn are pivotably connected to the side rails214. Each lift rail 250 has a front and a rear vertical support 232,thereby creating a four-bar linkage base. Lift rails 250 extend rearwardfrom the cradles 234 to a lift handle 252. Each lift handle 252 isparallel to the front vertical support and each lift handle 252 and haspivot axes coaxial with the pivot axes of the front vertical support232. The lift handle 252 includes a pair of upright portions connectedto one another at upper ends by a horizontal handle portion behind thehandle 218 and pivotably secured at lower ends to rearward ends of theside rails 14. A support bracket 254 extends horizontally from one liftrail 250 to the other adjacent the lift handle 252 and provides a rearsupport surface.

FIG. 17 is a side view of the pallet lift 210. The lift handle 252provides leverage to operate the lift rail 250 relative to the side rail214 in the manner of the four-bar linkage. The lift rail 250 staysparallel to the side rail 214 and can be raised or lowered relative tothe side rail 214 by pivoting the lift handle 252. The cradles 234 andsupport bracket 254 raise and lower with the lift rails 250.

FIG. 18 is a side view of the pallet lift 210 with a pallet 100 on thepallet lift 210 in the lifted position, with some space between the feetof the pallet 100 and the floor so that the pallet lift 210 and pallet100 (and any load on the pallet 100) can be rolled. The pallet 100 issupported on the cradles 234 and support bracket 254.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the pallet lift 210 with the lifthandle 252 in the lowered position, i.e. pivoted away from the handle218. This causes the side rails 252 to pivot rearward and downward onthe four-bar linkage, causing the cradles 234 to pivot rearward anddownward. The support bracket 254 also moves rearward and downward. FIG.20 is a side view of the pallet lift 210 in the lowered position, withthe lift rails 250 resting on the side rails 252.

FIG. 21 is a side view of the pallet lift 210 of FIG. 19 positionedbelow the pallet 100. In the lowered position, the pallet lift 210 canbe rolled under the pallet 100. The lift handle 252 is then raised,thereby raising the cradles 234 and the support bracket 254 and liftingthe pallet 100 (and any goods thereon) off the floor so that it can bemoved. A latch mechanism can be used to retain the lift handle 252 andlift rails 250 in the raised, support position.

Note that in the first embodiment (FIGS. 1-15 ), the pallet 100 isprimarily supported by the cradles 34 near the center of the pallet 100,with the locking device 36 mostly maintains balance (so the loadedpallet 100 does not tip forward or rearward). In the second embodiment,the cradles 234 are positioned outward of the center of the pallet 100,so that the weight of the pallet 100 is supported and balanced on thecradles 234 and support bracket 254.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes andjurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are consideredto represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it shouldbe noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than asspecifically illustrated and described without departing from its spiritor scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A combination of a pallet and a pallet liftcomprising: the pallet lift including a base having a rear structure, aplurality of rear wheels supporting the rear structure, wherein the baseincludes a pair of four-bar linkages, wherein each of the four-barlinkages includes a lift rail opposite a side rail, each of the liftrails connected to the corresponding side rail by a pair of verticalsupports to form a quadrilateral four bar linkage; the pallet liftfurther including a plurality of wheels secured to the side rails,wherein the plurality of wheels and the side rails are fixed relative toone another within the four bar linkage, and wherein the verticalsupports pivot relative to the side rails and relative to the pluralityof wheels, and wherein the lift rails are movable relative to the siderails and relative to the plurality of wheels; the pallet lift furtherincluding a pair of contact surfaces proximate a distal end of the base,the contact surfaces fixed relative to the lift rails within the fourbar linkage; the pallet lift further including a handle connected to therear structure of the base distal of the plurality of rear wheels andprojecting upward from the side rails proximate a proximal end of thebase, the pallet lift further including a rear support surface supportedon the base between the contact surfaces and the handle; and the pallethaving a plurality of columns supporting a deck, the plurality ofcolumns received between the lift rails and between the side rails,wherein the pallet lift is capable of lifting the pallet off of a floorby rotating the handle relative to the floor.
 2. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein the pair of contact surfaces are formed on cradlesspaced above the base.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the handleis a lift handle configured to selectively collapse and extend thefour-bar linkages to raise and lower the pallet.
 4. The pallet lift ofclaim 3 wherein the lift handle extends upward from the lift rails. 5.The combination of claim 1 wherein the handle is pivotable relative tothe side rails.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the deck issupported directly on the pair of contact surfaces.
 7. The combinationof claim 1 wherein the plurality of columns includes a pair of proximalcolumns, a pair of center columns and a pair of distal columns, whereinthe deck of the pallet is supported on the lift rails, wherein the liftrails extend to a distal end between the pair of center columns and thepair of distal columns.
 8. A method for lifting a pallet having aplurality of columns supporting a deck, the columns spaced inward from aperipheral edge of the deck, the method including the steps of: a)moving a lever of a pallet lift in a first direction relative to thepallet to pivot a four-bar linkage including a pair of side rails, alift rail, and a pair of supports connecting one of the side rails tothe lift rail, further including the step of moving the lever in thefirst direction to lower a plurality of contact surfaces relative to theside rails; b) inserting an end of each of the side rails below the deckand outward of the columns of the pallet, such that the columns arebetween the side rails, after said step a); c) after said step b),moving the lever in a second direction relative to the pallet to causethe contact surfaces to engage the deck of the pallet outward of thecolumns and to lift the pallet, wherein said steps a) and c) eachinclude the step of operating the four-bar linkage supporting thecontact surfaces.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality ofcolumns includes a pair of proximal columns, a pair of center columnsand a pair of distal columns, wherein step b) includes inserting theends of the side rails below the deck until the ends of the side railsare aligned between the pair of center columns and the pair of distalcolumns, wherein step c) is performed while the ends of the side railsare aligned between the pair of center columns and the pair of distalcolumns.
 10. A combination of a pallet and a pallet lift the pallet liftincluding a base, wherein the base includes a pair of four-bar linkages,wherein each of the four-bar linkages includes a lift rail opposite aside rail, each of the lift rails connected to the corresponding siderail by a pair of vertical supports to form a quadrilateral four barlinkage, a plurality of side wheels secured to the side rails, whereinthe plurality of side wheels and the side rails are fixed relative toone another within the four bar linkage, and wherein the verticalsupports pivot relative to the side rails and relative to the pluralityof side wheels, and wherein the lift rails are movable relative to theside rails and relative to the plurality of side wheels; the pallet liftfurther including a pair of contact surfaces proximate a distal end ofthe base, the contact surfaces fixed relative to the lift rails withinthe four bar linkage, the contact surfaces each including an outer wallprojecting upward from an outer edge thereof; the pallet lift furtherincluding a handle projecting upward from the side rails proximate aproximal end of the base, a rear support bracket on the base connectingproximal portions of the lift rails to one another, the rear supportbracket having a rear portion extending vertically from a rear edge andside portions extending vertically from side edges; and the pallethaving a plurality of columns supporting a deck, the plurality ofcolumns received between the lift rails, wherein the pallet lift iscapable of lifting the pallet off of a floor.
 11. The combination ofclaim 10 wherein the deck of the pallet is received between the sideportions of the rear support bracket and between the outer walls of thecontact surfaces.
 12. The combination of claim 10 further including aplurality of rear wheels supporting the base, wherein the handle ispivotably connected to the base distal of the plurality of rear wheels.13. The combination of claim 12 wherein the plurality of columnsincludes a pair of proximal columns, a pair of center columns and a pairof distal columns, wherein the deck of the pallet is supported on thelift rails, wherein the lift rails each extend to a distal end alignedbetween the pair of center columns and the pair of distal columns.